


i refuse i refuse i refuse

by allthefadinglights



Series: three's a crowd [2]
Category: Formula 1 RPF, Formula 2 RPF, Motorsport RPF
Genre: M/M, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, They're All Just Dumb, except marcus because he possesses the brain cell today, it all ends well don't worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:27:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28366146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthefadinglights/pseuds/allthefadinglights
Summary: Marcus is convinced he has the dumbest boyfriends in the world. And that's saying something, coming from him. He's not talking about the fact that Callum can't do simple math or Mick doesn't know how to make a pizza from scratch (despite having been with Prema for years).
Relationships: Marcus Armstrong/Callum Ilott/Mick Schumacher
Series: three's a crowd [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2078691
Comments: 4
Kudos: 111





	i refuse i refuse i refuse

**Author's Note:**

> The unofficial sequel to [three's a crowd](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28359789), also written by me.

Marcus is convinced he has the dumbest boyfriends in the world. And that's saying something, coming from him. He's not talking about the fact that Callum can't do simple math or Mick doesn't know how to make a pizza from scratch (despite having been with Prema for years). He means the fact that they're apparently absolutely inept at communicating with each other. Marcus has sort of become the middle man between the two of them, and he hates it. He's not supposed to be peace keeping between his boyfriends or telling them to talk to each other, he's supposed to be kissed by them and cuddle them while they watch movies together. Instead, he's listening to Mick rant over the phone how he's worried Callum's starting to dislike him because they haven't seen each other in a while, despite Mick and Callum being in the same paddock.

They're in Spa, Marcus is in Italy because Formula 2 doesn't drive Spa this year. In a way, he's grateful for it, for not having to drive past that place for the second year in a row. But not being in Spa also makes it really difficult to get Callum and Mick to talk to each other. "Mick, for the last time, will you please just talk to Callum? I'm sure it's all just a misunderstanding," Marcus sighs. 

Mick's quiet for a second. "I'm just worried he doesn't like me anymore and he's only staying in this arrangement because he doesn't wanna lose you." It breaks Marcus' heart to hear Mick this insecure, especially since he knows Callum's just as in love with Mick as Marcus is. "What if that's the case? What do we do then, Marcus?"

"Mick, you're really getting ahead of yourself. Please just talk to him." Marcus already knows he's gonna call Callum the second he hangs up with Mick, because he needs a stern talking to as well. He's not going to let this fall apart because they're both stupid and insecure. 

"Okay," Mick says, voice sounding tiny. "Goodnight Marcus, love you."

"Love you too," Marcus says as he hangs up and immediately presses Callum's name on speed dial. "Callum, I swear to God, if you don't call your boyfriend right this second and reassure him you still love him, I might have to murder you."

"Hello to you too," Callum says, sounding sleepy. "What have I done to make him think I don't love him anymore?" 

"You've been distant," Marcus says. Callum's quiet, doesn't respond. "Callum?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Callum replies. He sounds unusually out of it, nowhere near as upbeat as he usually is when Marcus calls him. "I'm sorry, it's just this place and this track, and I've been thinking Mick thinks I'm jealous of him because he's driving in F1 and I'm just a test driver. But I'm not, I could never begrudge him everything he's worked his entire life for."

"So tell him that," Marcus says softly. "Tell him all of that and work this out. Don't make me fly out to smack you both over the head." 

"I wouldn't mind it if you flew out to us," Callum says, a tone of sincerity in his voice underneath the teasing. "It's been a while since I've seen you and I'm guessing it's no different for Mick."

"In that case, I'm not flying out until you fix things with Mick." It sounds like a threat, but Marcus just wants them to work it out because they're both being dumb and he knows it. Callum promises he'll talk to Mick tomorrow and they say goodnight. Marcus doesn't feel at ease, though, and it takes him hours to fall asleep in a bed that's too big for him alone. He misses having two warm bodies against his, misses having Callum and Mick around. It's a complicated arrangement they have, the three of them. But they all love each other and it works - when Callum and Mick aren't being stubborn for no reason. 

He receives a call from Callum the next evening. He's been busy with FDA work and work for DAMS all day, barely having the time to check his phone until he got home and made some dinner. He answers with a mouth full of pizza, but it's eerily quiet on the other side. "Callum?"

"I fucked up," Callum says and Marcus can tell he's been crying. "I fucked up so bad, Marcus. I'm so sorry."

"What happened?" he asks, putting his pizza down. He hears Callum suppress a sob and- _okay_ \- that does it. Callum's very hard to upset, the last one to cry at sad movies and the one they go to for comfort because he always has a calming word ready and lets them hug him until they feel better. So something big must've gone down between them. "I'm booking a flight now, I'll be there in the morning," Marcus says, putting his phone on speaker while he grabs his laptop to find the first flight to Belgium. 

"I don't know if this is fixable."

"Oh, it is. I'll make it fixable," Marcus says, determined. "Please drink some water and get some sleep, my flight lands at five in the morning so text me the name and number of your hotel room and I'll be there, alright?" He doesn't allow himself to think about what could've possibly gone down, or if their relationship even still exists. He never wants to choose between them, can't take sides or it's gonna end terribly. So he texts Mick that he's flying out as well, tells him he'll be at Mick's hotel room around eight. He needs both sides of the story if he wants to work this out. Mick's tone sounds very apathetic via text and that somehow scares Marcus as much as Callum crying did. Somewhere, deep down, Marcus is more than a little pissed that it's down to him to fix this, to work things out because he doesn't want to lose either of them. Once this is all done, fixed, and they're all back in bed together, he's gonna let that rage out but for now, he pushes it deep down. 

He barely sleeps before he has to go to the airport, feeling exhausted and even more so knowing what task he has ahead of him. Marcus gets to Callum's hotel room first, knocking on the door softly and it doesn't take Callum long to open. His eyes are red and puffy and he looks like he hasn't slept either as Marcus steps inside, closes the door behind him and pulls Callum into a hug. It pains him that Callum breaks down immediately, so he pushes his boyfriend to sit on the edge of the bed and lets him cry for a while. "We fought," Callum says eventually, face still buried in the crook of Marcus' neck. He's nearly sitting in Marcus' lap, all curled in on himself and looking tiny. Marcus doesn't want to press him for details so he waits patiently for Callum to be ready to tell the whole story. "I went to talk to him in the morning, like you said, in his room. And I was tired and already upset from being _here_ , and I said things I didn't mean. And he yelled back at me, and we accused each other of things before I walked out." Callum sounds like he's done talking, but Marcus still doesn't know what went down aside from the fact that they fought, which he already knew. 

"What things did you accuse him of, Callum?" he asks carefully, noticing the way Callum's fist tightens around the back of Marcus' shirt and his shoulders start shaking again. He runs his hand through Callum's hair, ignoring the fact that he's starting to get upset as well. 

"I said I hated the way he's always gotten things handed to him because of his last name, if that's what he wanted to hear. He seemed so convinced that I hated him because I was jealous. And I'm not, I swear I'm not. But he wouldn't believe me so I said that." 

"You're _so_ stupid," Marcus says as he wipes away Callum's tears and kisses him softly. "You stay here, I'm going to talk to Mick and get the other side of the story and then we'll see how things go." Callum doesn't even seem to have registered the insult, sits on the edge of the bed and watches Marcus leave as he closes the door behind him.

Mick's on the other end of the scale of upset. He's not crying, just has a very empty look in his eyes like he's looking straight through Marcus. "Talk to me," Marcus says and Mick shrugs.

"Not much to say."

Marcus walks up to him, presses a soft kiss to his lips. "Mick, please."

"We fought, I said things I didn't mean, I don't know what else you want to hear," Mick snaps then, finally focusing his gaze on Marcus. "Are you siding with him?"

Okay, Marcus has had quite enough of this. He grabs Mick by the wrist, pulls him across the hallway even though Mick is protesting loudly, and drags him into Callum's room, pushing Mick in front of him so he can block the door. "You two," he says, pointing a finger at them both, "fucking talk to each other. You're both upset, you've both said things you don't mean, so apologise and communicate like grown adults."

"Marcus, move," Mick says, voice low as he gets all up in Marcus' face. 

"No, I don't think I will," Marcus says, leaning against the door, well aware that Mick can easily shove him aside and leave if he wants to. 

"Mick." Callum's voice is barely above a whisper and he still sounds terrible, but it makes Mick stop in his tracks, freezing in place as Marcus sees how it affects Mick. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean anything I said. I know you've worked for everything you have and you deserve your seat." Marcus is impressed it's Callum taking the first step to apologise. He knows he's usually the last to admit he's wrong, but this whole debacle has clearly affected him deeply. All of Mick's protesting and the wall of defence he's built around him come crumbling down and he turns around to face Callum. Marcus slowly steps away from the door, pretty sure neither of them's gonna make a run for it now. "I love you," Callum adds, looking up at Mick as he approaches Callum. 

Mick sinks down to his knees in front of Callum, their faces level now. "I'm sorry," Mick says and Marcus can hear his voice is unsteady. He pulls Callum into a tight hug and Marcus can't hear the rest of his apology as it's mumbled into Callum's hair but he knows Callum can, and that's what matters. They stay like that for a while, Marcus leaning back against the wall as they work it out. It takes a while but eventually, Mick gets up and Callum gets up as well, both of them going over to Marcus and pulling him into a group hug. 

"You two all good?" Marcus asks, squished in between the both of them. 

"Yeah," Callum says and Marcus catches him smiling softly at Mick. "We're all good."

"Good," Marcus says, wiggling out of the hug and dragging them both over to the bed. "Because I'm so pissed off with the both of you and I want cuddles." He decides to save his anger for later when Callum and Mick curl up against him on the bed.


End file.
